Method of making boats



April 1940' M. v. J. LATTY 2,196,217

METHOD OF MAKING BOATS Filed Nov. 22, 1935 INVENTOR Marcel Victor Joseph Laliy IMMIS/ZJMQ/M ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to boats and particularly to small river or beach craft such as canoes or the like. More particularly the invention comprises a light weight boat of this character that is simple and economical to manufacture, that ismechanically strong and that is resistant to the action of sun and water. The new boat comprises a unitary hull or shell of molded fiber cement, preferably asbestos cement, to which fittings or additional parts, which may also be of asbestos cement, can be added. Boats made of fiber cement are mechanically strong, needing no reinforcement, and because of the water resistant properties of fiber cement and of the unitary structure of the molded hull, are extremely seaworthy. The cost of manufacture of the new boat is relatively small, both because the material used is relatively cheap, and because labor in assembly of hull parts or in shaping frames to hulls is eliminated by the use of molds. The present invention further relates to a method of constructing boats of this character.

For an understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a small sport boat constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the hull of the boat of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The particular boat illustrated in the drawing includes a hull 2, rail 4 integral with the hull, deck portions 6, bulkheads 8 which together with the deck portions 6 form watertight compartments, and drift plates l0 suspended from the rail 4 and detachably secured to the outer surface of the hull by means hereinafter to be described.

The entire hull 2, including the rail 4, is of asbestos cement which has been formed from a suitable mold and then allowed to dry. A hollow mold, either of hardened asbestos cement or of wood, is used and sheets of asbestos cement while wet and plastic are laid into the mold and worked into the desired shape and thickness. Preferably, as indicated in Fig. 3, the hull is made relatively thicker at the stem to simulate a stem post. The base of the stern board is likewise strengthened by increased thickness of the material. The preferred composition of the asbestos cement is one having about asbestos and 85% cement as this composition has been found in use to give best mechanical strength combined with water view of the boat of November 22, 1935, Serial No. 51,023 In France December 3, 1934 resistant properties. One advantage of this particular composition of the asbestos cement is that the material is somewhat pliable in water and hence a hull made thereof when subjected to-repeated shocks will continue to be water tight; the portion of the hull receiving the shocks deforming rather than breaking. To facilitate the removal of the hull from the mold during the manufacture, the upper surface of the hull comprising the rail 4 is made flat. Where the hull is to have decks secured thereto, as in the boat illustrated, ribs I2 of asbestos cement are formed upon the irmer surface of the hull or are welded thereto after the hull has been formed. Bulkheads 8 are secured to the side walls of the ribs l2 by means of suitable cement nails, for example those known as Parker nails. The nails and ribs are first covered with latex glue to make the seal between bulkhead and hull watertight. Decks 6 are secured in a similar manner to the upper surface of rail 4. The decks and bulkheads are connected together by any suitable means, as for example by grooved cross-bars l4. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated the decks, bulkheads and cross-bars are of birchwood but these parts could likewise be of asbestos cement if desired.

A valuable addition to the boat are the drift plates III which serve to stabilize the boat and to keep it on its course. These may be made of steel and are suspended from the rail 4. They are provided with vacuum cups IS on their inner surfaces which, when pressed against the outer surface of the hull 2, hold the plates firmly in position. Although of particular value in connection with the new boat of asbestos cement, these plates with their suctional means for sealing to a hull could be advantageously employed on boats of other materials.

The completed hull may be painted with any suitable paint, for example a varnish paint of the type used for painting cement.

The boat illustrated may be used for sailing, in which case a mast carrying a sail is inserted in suitable brackets such as illustrated at l8 on the fore bulkheads, and a rudder may be secured to similar brackets indicated at on the stern board, or the boat may be propelled by paddles, the occupant of the boat sitting on a suitable grill such as that illustrated at 22.

It will be apparent from the above description that the invention provides a novel and useful boat which will be light and easy to handle and that can be simply and cheaply manufactured. The boat is extremely seaworthy and, moreover,

, should accident occur to the hull it can be readily patched by welding additional cement thereto. A boat constructed as above described can be made both light and strong. For example, a hull made or asbestos cement having a density of 1.5, which is substantially that of the preferred composition of 15% asbestos and 85% cement, with a length of about nine and one-fourth feet, and width of about two and one-half feet, is suniciently strong when the thickness of the hull is about one-fourth of an inch. Such a boat wfll safely carry two adults, will be entirely seaworthy and will be light enough for easy handling in or out of the water. Unlike boats of wood, boats made of asbestos cement, even after relatively long periods of nonuse, will be entirely watertight.

The invention has now been described in connection with one embodiment thereof. The inventlon, in its broadest aspects, is directed to the new product of manufacture hereinbefore generally described, namely, a boat constructed of fiber cement, and except as indicated in the accompanying claims, is not limited to specific features of construction of the embodiment illustrated. The invention is applicable to toy boats as well as to boats such as illustrated and intended to carry one or more people.

The following is claimed:

The method of making a boat of the class described which comprises preparing sheets of asbestos cement and while the sheets are in a moist and plastic condition laying them over a surface of a pattern, said surface conforming to one of the surfaces of the hull of the boat to be formed, working the sheets against said surface of the pattern so as to form a unitary hull, and when the asbestos cement has become dry or set removing the hull from the pattern. 

